'Usually I like it when you play with yourself,' or Richard T. Walker at Iceberger
By Ari Messer
Continuing to glide through artistic media, the Mission's new Iceberger gallery opened its fifth show, Richard T. Walker's video installation, "sometimes i like you more than othertimes," with a bang on June 14.
Walker, a British artist currently at the Headlands Center for the Arts and formerly at Berkeley's Kala Art Institute, is drawn to our often self-interested but always interesting interactions with the natural world. In this case, two videos playing simultaneously on color flat screens face each other in the small, pristine gallery space. They showcase Walker traipsing around the golden California hills with a microphone and small amplifier, delivering a speech in different locales while looking away from the viewer. At the same time, he literally plays with himself - on guitar, vocals and drums - also looking away from the viewer, as if talking to himself all the way around the world.
The most impressive thing at Iceberger's fifth opening wasn't the free beer - or free pizza - but the fact that most folks stayed to watch the entire video, often following along with the conversational, poetic text, which was available as program notes. Though spoken in address alternately to "all of the grass I have ever encountered" and to "a medium-sized mountain that will stay in my thoughts forever," the words sound like a Tarot reading from a good, if ruthlessly honest, friend, speaking directly to the viewer, such as this:
"On occasion you do fail to really engage in conversation, settling a little too well into the role of a listener."
Which gives rise to this:
"The singing that is accompanying the guitar chords and the drums is sung with you as inspiration. Please listen, but don't just listen, try to think of some questions to ask me about them when I see you next."
Richard T. Walker, from left; deputy director Ginelle Hustrulid; Erica Freyberger; and special operations/Web site guy Neil Alger (who also works at Small Press Distribution) outside the gallery.
Aside from openings, Iceberger is open by appointment only, but they tend to be around on the weekends, said owner-director Erica Freyberger. If things keep heating up around here, there might be real polar bears straying into the Mish for another monthly opening, looking for free beer or tasty art.
RICHARD T. WALKER: SOMETIMES I LIKE YOU MORE THAN OTHERTIMES
Through July 8
Open by appointment
Iceberger Gallery
3150 18th St., SF
(415) 225-8392
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